The rapid rise of dual-credit classes in Indiana during the past five years has created an increasingly important question for students taking college classes in high school: Which is the better option, dual-credit or Advanced Placement?

School officials say it depends on what each student is looking for, but the two aren't synonymous. While both offer students a chance to save some money on college credits and challenge themselves academically, they function differently and send different messages to college admissions.

In Indiana, dual-credit has surpassed AP in popularity. In 2015, nearly 40,000 high schoolers statewide earned dual credit from a public state college while 12,500 earned college credit by passing an AP test, according to the most recent Indiana College Readiness Report.

However, the greater competition hasn't caused the number of students taking or passing AP tests to dramatically drop, reports show, which suggests the combination is reaching more types of students.

Advanced Placement classes started first, and are overseen by the national College Board, which writes and administers the year-end tests high school students are required to pass to earn college credit. With AP, students can take the test with or without taking the coordinating class.

Dual-credit classes, on the other hand, are overseen by some public state colleges. Students earn college credits by passing the course.

Administrators at Hamilton Southeastern High School have been closely watching these trends on a local level. Since increasing the number of dual-credit classes offered, they've seen a significant drop in interest for Advanced Placement in a few key subjects.

Compared to four years ago, 136 fewer students took the AP Psychology test this year, and 235 fewer took the U.S. Government and Politics test. These subjects have large dual-credit numbers with more than 300 students taking the Indiana University Bloomington government class this year. Economics tests also saw a drop.

Still, the total number of Hamilton Southeastern High students taking AP exams has stayed relatively stable, largely due to increased interest in newer classes, such as computer science and a capstone project course.

The school in Hamilton County is an interesting example because of its size and class offerings. Assistant Principal Doug Harter said HSE offers nearly all of the 38 available AP courses, except for a couple languages such as Japanese and Latin. And, while some schools have limited dual-credit options because of upcoming strict requirements for teachers, Hamilton Southeastern offers 24 courses through four Indiana universities.

The school's 3,100 students then give clear feedback by simply choosing what they want. The courses that run each semester depend on how many students sign up.

There are multiple factors that contribute to the drop in some subjects, including the popularity of the teacher, but Harter contributes students' preferences in large part to cost. For example, the dual-credit government course costs families $75, while the AP exam costs $93.

Dual credit is generally known to be the cheaper option, although Harter said some AP tests are less expensive because the state supplements the cost of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects. Students are also guaranteed college credit if they pass the class, whereas AP requires they pass the exam.

However, dual credit is perceived to be a bit easier, and carries less prestige than AP, Harter said. AP may be a better choice for students interested in Ivy League or private schools.

AP credits also could be recognized by more universities. Dual credits are accepted by most universities in Indiana, but AP may be a better option for students considering out-of-state schools. If a student is planning to stay in state, dual-credit classes could allow them to start college as a sophomore in credits, or even with an associate degree.

Likely the biggest difference is that while AP is geared toward college preparation, dual credit also expands to vocational and career skills.

Carmel High School, the state's largest high school, still has more students enrolled in AP than dual credit — more than 3,400 of its 5,058 total students this school year. But interest in dual credit has increased by almost 20 percent in the past four years, with more than 2,200 now enrolled, while the number of class offerings has stayed about the same.

At Westfield High School, in the state's fastest-growing district, school counselor Carrie Larrison said Advanced Placement classes seem to be preferred among students, although most take a mixture. The school offers about 30 AP courses and five dual-credit classes and is considering expanding. The goal, Larrison said, is in part to help students find their passion.

Ultimately, taking any of these classes helps a student get into college, Harter said, because it shows that student is ready for college work. Students who earn college credits in high school have higher grade point averages and need less remediation during the first year of university, according to Hamilton Southeastern's 2015 College Readiness report.

"It really needs to fit what’s best for the students," Harter said. "So that is what we focus on."